Pulse edge brightening circuit



Nov. 5, 1957 c. A wELLlvER PULSE EDGE BRIGHTENING CIRCUIT Filed March 3, 1954 United States Patent- PULSE EDGE BRIGHTENNG CIRCUIT Clarence L. Welliver, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Y Application Maren s, 19st, serial No. 413,829

s claims. (ci. sis-22) This invention relates to cathode ray tube displaysV of pulse type signals which go .through sharp transitions from one amplitude to another, and in particular to a means for brightening the beam of the cathode ray tube to provide greater visibility of the transitory portion of the pulse signals.

fWhen displaying any rectangular pulse on the cathode ray tube screen of an oscillograph the time periods duringwhich the pulse rises from zero amplitude to a maximum and that during which it falls again from the maximum to zero are extremely short compared to the duration, ofthe maximum or top portion of the pulse. Accordingly, the rising and falling portions of the pulse appear less bright than the top portion and frequently, only the top portion is visible.

In the present invention, circuit means are provided by which the intensity of the cathode ray beam is increased during a period of rapid deilection of the beam.V This compensates for the shorter time during which the beam impingesluponjanycunit area, of the iiuorescent surface of thecathode ray` tube `during the rapid deflection of the beam.:` 11# lf Y Inl` this way `theybeam will be'made to'produceV a visibly bright trace on the lluorescent screen regardless of, the instantaneous rapidity with'which the beam is deflected ,across the screen.

`Accordingly, it is an object of this ,invention to provide a circuit with which the intensity of a cathode'ray beam may be increased when a more rapid deflection of the beam takes place.

. It is `also an object of :this invention to provide a circuit'means whereby the leading and trailing edges of pulsesA may be displayed on cathode ray oscillograph screens'with Va brightness consistent with the tops thereof. The novelfeatures of this invention, and other objects and advantages thereof will become apparent from the specification which follows and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the pulse edge brightening system of this invention as applied toV a cathode ray osillograph, and

' Fig. 2A is a circuit diagram showing details of the components of the pulse edge brightening feature offthis invention.

Referring to Fig. l the block diagram of the pulse edge brightening system of this invention is shown.

` From a sourceI of rectangular pulses, not shown, a pulsetube 110 is energized by appropriate deilection generatorsand anode-and tilament potentials the sources of whichre not shownin the-ligures.

lhe loutput circuitof cathode follower` 103 is coupled" .Patented Nov. 5, 1957 to a diierentating network shown by block 104. The dilerentiating network 104 comprises a series capacitor and shunt resistor. The differentiated signal terminals of network 104 are coupled to the input circuit of an ampliier 105. The output circuit of amplifier 105 is connected to a full wave rectifier 106. Rectilier 106 has an output connection to an amplifier 107 which is in turn connected to the input circuit of a brightening pulse generator 108. The output circuit of the brightening pulse generator is coupled to the cathode 111 of the cathode ray oscillograph tube through a coupling capacitor and resistor 126.

The circuit diagram of the brightening pulse generator indicated by block 108` is shown in Fig. 2 to which reference Vis now made. The circuit employs a vacuum tube 201. Control grid 202 is the input circuit of tube 201. The output circuit of tube 201 is at its anode 203. A capacitor 204 is coupled to grid circuit 202. A resistor 205 is connected to grid 202. Resistors 206 and 207 are connected in series as a voltage divider. The junction of resistors 206 and 207 is connected to resistor 205. Resistor 207 is connected to a source of negative bias potential with respect to ground at terminal 208 and resistor 206 is connected to ground at 209. The cathode 210 of tube 201 is connected to ground. A capacitor 211 is connected as a by-pass iilter for the negative bias voltage in parallel with resistor 206. A variable inductor `212 is connected at one of its terminals to anode 203. The other terminal of inductor 212 is connected to a source of B-I- potential 213. Diode rectiiier 216 is connected across inductor 212. The diode rectiiier is poled to short circuit positive going signals developed in the anode coil 212. Resistors 218 and 219 are connected'as a voltage divider between a positive voltage point at the B-l-V end of inductor 212 and ground. The screen 221 of tube 201 is connected to the junction of resistors 218 and 219. An A.C. by-pass capacitor 220 is connected from screen 221 to ground. There is an output connection 222 to the anode circuit 203 of tube 201.

Referring again to Fig. 1 the operation of the pulse edge brightening system of this invention may be followed.

A pulse such as 100, intended to be applied to the vertical deflection circuit 109 of cathode ray tube 110 for display on its fluorescent screen 124 is first delayed through delay line 101 and then ampliied in amplifier 102. Delay line 101 in one use of the invention has been a 25 foot section of 73 ohm impedance coaxial cable such as that bearing the IAN designation RG-59/U. The dimensions of this cable are: inner conductor diameter 0.0253" and outer conductor diameter 0.146 *.005. These dimensions are based .upon a polyethylene dielectric material between the inner conductor and outer conductor. This provided a delay of the order of .05 microsecond. Other delay means may be used to provide other desired delay intervals. lt is a delayed version of the initial pulse 100 that is `applied to the deflection circuit 109 of cathode ray tube 110. Pulse 100 is applied to the input circuit of cathode follower 103. CathodeV follower 103 is inserted to avoid undue loading of the input circuit of the system of this invention. A differentiator 104 of well known type comprising a series capacitor-and a shunt resistor is connected in the outputV circuit of the cathode follower 103. 'The' pulse 114 result-- ing from the action of dierentiator 104 is applied to 'an amplifier 105. The amplified pulse 123 is applied to fulll The circuit details of brightening'pulse generator 108';

are vshown in Fig. -2. In theoutput circuit of brightening pulse generator 10S pulses 116 are generated.V '.Th'e" 3 ray .tuhe 110. Ille .time interval between .the .leading edge of initial pulse 100 applied to cathode follower 103 and the first of the pulses 1-116 applied to the cathode 111 of lcathode ray :tuhe 15:0 corresponds to Nthe .delay iinterval v.imposed upon pulse 21:00 thy delay iline 'ili0z1 :and vanngllifer .102. ;tccordingl.y, therefore, :the cathode dill receives -the dirsttof pulses 116 .fat the same aime asithe :deflection circuit 1109rece`ives the leading edge :of delayed *.version .of pulse 100. In .this :way zthe 'rapidly .fris'ing xportion fof the delayed :version of pulse ils .fand the sharp y.increase :in :intensity :of the cathode any :beam of .cathode ray :tube [10 are made ito coincide in time.

ilt :is to tbe noted that as a result `of the operation :of siiferentiator 1x04, both a positive ,going ileading `edge T17 and a negative going leading 'erige .V118 zareggenerated'in pulse `for M.the irise L11-9 and fall A120., respectively, of pulse 100. In ulhwave aoctifierjll `.both the rising :and 'p ulses di? and dilS 'are translated :into :positive going pulses 115. iPulses 115 are :applied .to .amplifier lll?! lto :produce .amplified :pulses 122.

Referring :now to Fig. 12 `wherein :the circuit details :are shown of the brightening pulse generator :generally indicated thy :block 10.8., Eig. l., lit :may be seen that the pulses :122 are ;app`rie d .to-.the grid tcircuit 202 of tube '20.1 through capacitor 204.. Tube 20d fis :biased at plate :cur-Y rent cut off so that .the :tube will conduct .sharpltywhen the pulses 122 are impressed tthereon. .The :rapid Lise in plate -current through inductor 212, which is resonant at about 1-5 4megacycles lin one vembodiment used as an example, results in an oscillation at -the selff-resonant frequency of the inductor 2-12. 'The resonant frequency of inductor '.212 may be adjusted to result in a pulse duration for pulses 116 which corresponds tothe anticipatedrise and fall time of the delayed `version .of `fpulse 110 after passing through amplifier 102. After thefirst negative -half :cycle of the oscillation, rectifier diode 216 presents a low impedance Vto the resonant ,circuit .thus damping out the oscillation. Thus, there will appear at terminal .222 only the first sharp negative going voltage pulse with 'a duration .('for the l5 lrnegacycle example, above) of less than .04 microsecond. This :negative brightening pulse (as at 116;) is applied to the cathode 1.11.of the cathode ;ray tube of Fig. l. The negative pulse 116 4makes 4thecathode of the ycathode iray :tubemore negative, lowering thereby the grid b ias .and increasing the beam .intensity ,and consequently increasing the brightnessof the trace on the cathode :ray screen ,for each negative excursion `of pulse 116. vThere .are .two :brighteniug .pulses 116,'for -eachsignal pulse 100. Accordingly, it may be seen that a rapid increase `in intensity -will libe eiected-atcathoderay tube 110 Afor both 4the rising portion 11,-9 andthe;falling portion 120 of the desired :pulse 110 when displayed on -the ,cathodefray tube screen.

There 'has :been recited :in the foregoing description a preferred .embodiment of this invention. The yspecific recitations ,given .therein :are for #the .purposes of .description only .and are .not intended to limit zthe scope `of 'this invention. It .is understood ythattthere :may :he numerous other `embodiments which fall in the spirit of'this invention, and therefore this invention is limited only by 'the scope of the appended claims taken in-view of -the lprior art.

What is claimed is:

l. y-Ina cathode Tay oscillograph, a pulse edge -brlightening Icircuit comprising a source of pulse signals `for display on the oscillograph; -a 4iirst channel `including a d e'laymeans connected to Isaid source; a second channel including -adiiferentiating means connected to saidsource, said second channel also including fa'vpulse edge brightening means connected `to said 'differentiating means; Iand acathode ray indicator' having an intensity control means for 'the cathode ray :and va deflection means for/the 'cathodeay, said iirst channel'being -connected to said deflection means and said second 'channel being connected to said intensity 'control means, kvwhereby said -pulse edge brightening .means vincreases .the .intensity .of .said .cathode ray during the rise and fall of amplitude of said pulse signals.

2. A pulse edge brightening system for cathode ray oscillographs comprising: an input circuit coupled to a source of pulses for display on a cathode ray oscillograph screen; rst means coupled to said input circuit responsive .to said' pulses for generating a vcontrol pulse for each leading .and each .trailing edge, respectively, of the pulses 'from said source; second means also coupled to said input circuit, for delaying saidpulses impressed thereon, third means connected to said first means for producing a brightening pulse for each control pulse; and a cathode ray indicator connected to said third and said second means for receiving said brightening pulses and said delayed pulses in time coincidence, whereby said brightening pulses occur simultaneously with the leading edge and trailing edge of said pulses when displayed-on said cathode ray indicator.

3. A pulse edge brightening.circuit-comprising a source of .pulse signals, first means coupled to said source for delaying said pulse signals a predetermined time; second means coupled to said source for developing -a control pulse in response to each change in amplitude `of said pulse signals; third means coupled to said second means for producing a brightening :pulse ,for-each control pulse; and .indicating cathode ray .means having .adeection oircu'it coupled to said ,first means and an intensity control circuit coupled Ato said third means, saidfirst -means vhaving a delay .duration equal to the .interval during which said brightening pulses are developed by lsaid second means, whereby brightening pulses are lappliedto said indicating means simultaneously `with each change in amplitude of said .pulse signals to brighten .the leading and trailing' edges of said pulsesignals when displayed Aon said cathode ray indicator.

4. A pulse edge brightening system .for cathode ray oscillographs for use inconiunction with a source ofpulse signals, said system comprising: a first means for delaying Vand amplifying the pulse signals freceived from the source of said pulse signals; :a second `means having ya n common input circuit with -said first means, :said second means including a circuit for receiving lsaidpulse signals and developing therefrom .a sharp brightening :pulse for each .leading edge and each trailing edge, respectively, .of said pulse signals; andra cathode .ray indicator tube, Lhaving a first circuit for intensity control of the -,beam .of fsaid indicator .tubein response to saidsharp brightenin g ypulses applied :to said .first circuit, Aand .a second circuit for `deflecting the beam of -said indicator in yresponse vto .said pulse ysignals applied yto said 'second circuit, -said first fcir cuit beingicoupled ltofsaid second means and .said vsecond circuit being coupled to said 'first means, 'whereby said first means delays said pulse signals .while said second means develops said brightening pulses, and .wherebysaid bri ghteningpulses .are -appliedto vsaidy first .circuit :to .intensify the beam-ofsaid cathode ray tube during the occurrence of said leading edges and said trailing edges .of said pulse signals when said pulse signals are yapplied .to:said.second circuit.

5. A pulse edge brightening circuit for cathode ray `oscillographs comprising an input circuit for pulse signals; a delay line coupled to said input circuit for delayingsa'id pulse signals; an amplifier coupled .to said delay line 'for amplifying said delayed pulse signals; an isolation .amplifier also `coupled to said input circuit; a differentiating network coupled vto said isolation amplifier for ydeveloping a. positive going pulse for eachpositive excursion of fsaid pulse signals and a negative going `pulse for :eachnegative excursion of said pulse signals; a full wave rectifier coupled to Vsaid differentiating network for receiving said negative going and -said positive going pulses and producing'a pair o'f pulses therefrom, said -pair having identical polaritiesi for generating a very sharp brightening pulse 'for cachotI said identically polarized pulses; and a cathode ray 'fmdr1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ferrat Mar. 29, Isbister Aug. 2, Busignies Sept. 6, Jeanne Dec. 27, Hasbrook July 22, 

